Edward Buck
Edward Buck known as just Buck by the Squad, is a Forty-Two year old Orbital Drop Shock Trooper who grew up on Draco III to a Scottish Father and an Irish mother in the year of 2510, on August 22nd. Edward joined the United Nations Space Command in the year of 2532, when he was Twenty-Two. Nine years later, when Buck was Thirty-One, Covenant forces assaulted Draco III, and Buck fought them off on his homeworld, watching his family get slaughtered. One year later, Buck met Veronica Jane Dare, and they were in a relationship for three months, until Buck discovered Dare was an operative from ONI. Buck, unlike the rest of his squad, survived the Battle of Reach, escaping alone in a Pelican dropship, and soon was met with a new squad. They, and he too, fought through many battles, even meeting an ODST who had survived a Covenant assault at New Jerusalem, who only stated himself to be named as The Rookie. The squad had been through one more battle, destroying an Orbital Elevator the Covenant were using to rally forces and equipment from orbit to land, until Veronica Dare chose them for a mission to New Mombasa. The squad thought they were destroying an Assault Carrier above New Mombasa, but Dare had warned Buck about what the mission was really about. The squad was to snatch a Tier-One asset, an Engineer, one named Vergil, from New Mombasa. The squad was separated by a Slipspace rupture during the capture, and all through the day, night, and the next morning, fought off Covenant forces, taking the Engineer, and escaping in a stolen Phantom, barely avoiding being melted away by a Covenant fleet glassing New Mombasa. Biography Early Life Buck grew up on Draco III, in the state of Lombard, and the capital, New Albany. Buck was born to Alan Buck and Candice Buck, and his older brother, Patrick Buck, Edward went to Milburn Elementary, and soon Alton Middle School, where he played for the Alton Football team, known as the Gladiators. When Buck finished Middle school, he went onto New Albany High, New Albany's prime high school. He graduated with highest honors, and went onto the state college, known as the University of Lombard at New Albany. Buck was there for a few months, until he dropped out to become a UNSC soldier. His parents were against it, and despite their pleas, Buck still dropped out to protect the colonies. He went on, and out of Draco III, to his training at a Reach Training Complex, known as Painland. UNSC Training Training at Painland, Buck was stationed under Chief Petty Officer Alejandro Chavez, known better as sir by his men. Buck went through training, and soon became an ODST. Buck continued his training at Painland, where he found the soon-to be first member of his squad, Richard Montoya. Buck soon continued his training, and followed Richard to become a Helljumper. The two trained for years, learning about who the ODSTs were, and their purpose. Buck was fascinated by the large amount of information, but Montoya wasn't interested. Soon Montoya quit the ODSTs. His volunteer work was over. Buck knew that he wanted to face the frontlines, not stare at a few Vids. Buck convinced Montoya, or as Buck called him, Monto, to stay, and after begging him, Montoya stayed. A few weeks later, actual training began. Montoya wished that he hadn't stayed. Hundreds of shots flew above their heads as they crawled under razor wire. Montoya was horribly afraid of heights. He knew that he wouldn't be afraid inside a SOEIV. But when the part of training that required him to jump forty feet to the ground. Buck was behind him, and as bullets came behind them, Buck assured Montoya that it was going to be fine. Montoya then jumped, and realized, he had just passed the Physical. Buck followed behind, and one month later, the two were stationed aboard the UNSC Iroquois. UNSC Iroquois Years out of training, Buck, now a Staff Sergeant, was stationed aboard the UNSC Iroquois. They were currently on a course to A99 Alpha, under Admiral Stanforth, the ship piloted by Captain Larry Herbest. Buck was serving under Aidan Cameron, and his squadmates were Montoya, Alex White, Richard Reeves, and Jack Hullum. The squad was practicing their aiming on a small firing range, when the ship jumped out of Slipspace. They continued this until the Covenant attacked. They then marched up to the barracks, and found that they were under attack. They hadn't been notified. So the squad acted quite crazy, and launched their pods manually, going after one of the ships. Buck watched as White, who was also on the display view, faded to white noise. Outside, he saw, the pod was destroyed. Three more pulse rounds penetrated the pod of Reeves, and while rest were dodged. Buck watched in horror. As he was about to speak, among all they yells and screams, his pod launched inside the CCS-class Battlecruiser. He saw that Montoya, Jack, and Cameron were still alive. He read their vitals on his HUD. Cameron was fine, Montoya too, but Hullum was unconscious. Buck jumped out of his pod, and saw three Elites in front of him. He panicked, but focused, and shot them down, hurriedly rushing to Hullum's position. His pod was lying face down in a hole leading to a chamber filled with coolant. No one could get him out. The pod was too heavy. So the remaining squad sadly left Hullum behind. They continued to the control room, fighting through hundreds of Covenant. They arrived on the control room, and saw a Shipmaster, standing next to an object th translated into Human, and which stated, 7:29. Buck and Montoya watched the footage, and it showed a gold-armored at Shipmaster giving orders to a Minor Elite, telling him to pose as a decoy Shipmaster, arm the bomb, and that he would rescue him at the last minute. The timer ticked to the last minute. But nothing happened. No pods crashed into the bridge, and no Elites stormed the bridge. Buck knew the Shipmaster was a liar. The Engineer disappeared back into a hallway, and locked all doors except a few, leading Buck and Montoya into a hangar bay. The two stole a Seraph, and watched as the ship destroyed itself from the inside. But one question remained. Why did the Shipmaster destroy his own ship? Battle for Draco III Draco III. Home of Buck. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant for saving Montoya. Buck was now in command of a squad. And he was defending a small neighborhood on his home planet. He, a matter a fact, was in the neighborhood he grew up in. The Covenant were sending forces into the planet like no tomorrow. And they were all focused on Lombard. Buck kept trying to escape the battle and run to his old home, but never could with all the fighting. He watched as the Covenant pounded through the barricade, and retreated as a Wraith shot destroyed them. The hundreds of UNSC soldiers and vehicles in that area were killed, blood splattering everywhere. Buck ran to his family's house, but before he got there, was pulled back by two Elites. They took his weapons and dropped him on the ground, and interrogated him. Soon, they brought him up again, and dragged him over to the yellow house where his family lived. He saw them, lying face down on the living room floor. The house still held it's original look, portraits of family and a traditional "60's" design used, but all of that was wrecked, thrown around and smashed by the Covenant. One of the Sangheili, the only one wearing red armor, spoke to Buck. He questioned him, asking him if that was his family. Buck reluctantly said yes. The Sangheili pushed him over onto a couch next to his family. The Elite said something to the others in Sangheilian, and Buck said something to his family. The Major Elite smiled. The minors raised their Carbines, and fired consecutively. They continued this for about 30 seconds. When they were finished, Buck was covered in blood, and his family was dead. Everyone was dead. But wait... He was forgetting something. The Major Elite turned to Buck, and pulled out an Energy Sword. He was about to kill Buck, when Montoya jumped through the window, with three other ODSTs behind him. They fired their MA5Bs, penetrating the Elite's shielding, and ripping through their skin. Montoya charged to the Major, pulled out his Shotgun, and at point blank range, killed him. Everything went silent as they looked at what was left of Buck's family. His brother, his mother, his father, they were all dead. The squad was soon evacuated from Draco III, being some of the only marines alive, not including SPARTANs. The Pillar of Autumn Battle of Reach Battles with the Squad Mission to Mars Say My Name Mission to New Mombasa Hell's Waiting Room Early Landing: Rescuing Dare Fighting Through the Streets NMPD HQ: Rescuing Mickey and Dutch Kikowani Station Fighting Through the Hive Waterfront Highway: Escape The Ark